Chuka Umunna: Labour should stick to the centre and be open to coalition

I've interviewed Chuka Umunna ahead of Labour's special conference to decide party reforms today. You can read the interview in full here, the story that goes with it here, and see the video extracts here (oh yes). As I say in my piece, "his skill is to be both ambitious and self-aware, engaging and the right side of arrogant". He was keen to talk about the necessity of political reform, not just for Labour but for all parties, to address what he describes as a "democratic emergency". It's a grabbing phrase, if perhaps a bit OTT. His point is that voters are fed up with all politicians, so he wants to change things by scrapping PMQs in its current format for starters. To those who, when they look at him, see a potential future leader, he channels his mentor Tony Blair: Labour can only win from the centre, he'd far rather cut taxes, and it would be to insult the voters to rule out a coalition with the Lib Dems in 2015 – let them decide. Those are all messages the party needs to hear more often. He says he is in line with Ed Miliband, but I suspect a few of his colleagues will prefer to interpret his words as a reminder that the Blairite cause is not yet lost. Here are some of the best lines:

Britain faces 'a democratic emergency': "We have a politics which has failed to keep pace with a change in society and the fact that peoples' relationship with politics is far more fluid".

He praises Tories for progress on ethnic minorities: it's a "cause for celebration that we've seen a lot of progress in the Conservative party on that issue as well".

The Labour reforms championed by Mr Miliband are "a bigger moment than Clause 4 – that was a tidying up exercise".

PMQs should be scrapped: "My own view is we should abolish PMQs in its current form. There is a place and need for a PMQs. And it's imperative there is a forum in which PM can be held to account. But we can't carry on like this." Should be turned into conversation, with MPs allowed three or four questions to the PM.

Labour must stay on the centre ground: "The centre ground of British politics is where elections are won and I don't think that has changed. Labour needs to stay anchored the centre ground."

On Cameron ruling out a coalition: "That is for the people to decide, not for us to start dictating what we would do in a particular scenario. It insults the British public."

On the Tories: "In many ways the Conservative party has been taken hostage by its right. You see that on europe. You see it most starkly in respect of their stance towards the environment. He's completely dropped that."

On tax: "I'd rather we didn't have to put up the top rate of tax. I'd rather we had the lowest rates of tax possible." But says business have to accept their share of the effort to reduce deficit.

The general election will be "most negative personal and nasty in a generation" but cautions Labour not to fight dirty: "Labour wins when it is the party of hope and optimism for the future which is why we did so well in '97. We are not going to win by scrapping on the floor. And descending into that kind of politics."